I'm Sorry
by AANGPWNS
Summary: Just a quick, little one-shot based around Fitz's thoughts on Aida's capture and death.


Ophelia had to be stopped, That much I was sure of. She was going insane, unable to control her new emotions, and unfortunately, the only way to stop her now was through lethal methods, something I had hoped we wouldn't have to come to. I had tried looking for other ways, tried reasoning with the team, but sadly their minds were made up. We had devised a plan to... subdue her, but the more I think about it, the more it makes me sick. I literally helped create a plan to execute a woman that I love, who went insane because of _my_ fault. I mean, of course I love Jemma, she's the first woman I ever loved, but I cannot help but feel the same way for Ophelia. To my other self in the Framework, she was like Jemma is to me in this world. He would kill anyone who would try to hurt her. He would cross the universe to save her. He would give his life for her... I would give my life for her. Because I am that person, no matter how much I try to pretend it isn't true. It's a terrible, horrifying truth, one that I wish wasn't real, but unfortunately it is. I try to pretend that it was all just a dream, that the Framework never happened, but it did. I killed people. _I_ _nnocent_ people. I killed Agnes. And I killed Mace, which hurts even more after remembering how I treated him while he was the director, accusing him of so many things, when he was only just trying to help and earn the respect of our no matter how much I try to tell myself that I'm a bad person, that I'm evil, I suppose that I still also am the Fitz from before the Framework. I still don't want to be evil. I still don't like killing. And just thinking about this plan to murder someone, someone I love, no less, leaves a terrible, bitter taste in my I don't have much of a choice, unfortunately. For the sake of Jemma, my friends, Shield, and the entire world, I have to stop her, even if it means ending her life. But still, it tears me apart to think about the end I'm dooming her to, the fate that awaits her. That... that thing. That hellish, demonic entity. As silly I think it is to believe in the supernatural, I simply can't think of any other way to call it. It's somehow beyond scientific explanation. Regardless, no one deserves such a cruel end to their life, especially not someone with the literal age and maturity of a child.

And all the events leading up to now, all the suffering and anguish,... it would all be almost funny to think about if it weren't so horrible. How we tried so hard to stop Ophelia when she escaped the containment cell, killing all those people, or when she was replacing agents with LMDs, all to protect that god forsaken framework, Or when she began working with that sick, Russian terrorist, or the "Superior" as everyone seemed to call him. A man who tortured and killed dozens of humans and inhumans alike. Attempted to kill Daisy, beat and tortured Mace, crushed his bones and dumped him into the ocean like he was worthless, and nearly killed Coulson and May. And after all this, after all our failed attempts to stop them, here comes this demonic creature with a flaming skull and blazing red eyes, a car that looks like it just came right out of hell, and a chain made of pure metal and some form of hellish fire that he tortures and kills his victims with, who just walks right up to them and takes down all their attempts to stop him, even causing Ophelia to retreat, all the inhuman powers she gave herself failing to even stun him.

I can't even imagine the horrible pain Ophel... _Aida_ , will go through. The suffering she will feel once she's in his grasp. I shudder just thinking about it. I just wish I could somehow stop her, get her to stop all this senseless killing, and perhaps also try to change the creature's mind about killing her. Convince it to be lenient with her. But I know that it wouldn't work. Aida was always stubborn, both as an android and as a human. And combined with all these new, uncontrollable emotions she's feeling, it'll be nearly impossible to change her mind. I thought about maybe going back to her, just promising to be with her and escape together, and save both her and my friends. But I quickly realized that it wouldn't help. If I would even dare try aiding in Ophelia's escape, that thing would probably just hunt both her and I down and drag us to that "hell" dimension for interfering with his vengeance. Robbie Reyes may be a kind man, along with Coulson, but unfortunately for me, and for her, this is not a being you can reason with.

I just… I just feel so alone and scared. So hopeless and frustrated. Like there's nothing I can do about anything. I wish that I could just run and hide in a corner and pretend none of this was happening. But I can't… I can't, and it's killing me inside. It's too much for me. I mean, to help my own friends kill someone I love, and in such a terrible way... I don't want to do it. I truly don't. But... I cannot let my friends, along with thousands of people die because of my mistakes. Especially not Jemma, not after all that I've put her through. I'm not going to let her get dragged down too. Even without our help, the Ghost Rider would likely get Aida eventually, but at least Jemma has a chance. I'm not going to let both of my loves die. I have to fight. I have to stop Aida, no matter the consequences. I have to do what must be done.

Standing firm, and wiping a single tear from eye, I activate the Jemma LMD I built, and give the signal to Coulson to start the plan.

* * *

Unfortunately falling for the trap, Aida has now teleported herself down into the portal room after attempting to kill what she thought was Jemma, looking to take the Darkhold back with her, unaware of the evil that lurks in Coulson, preparing to soon reveal itself. Seeing Jemma get electrocuted, even if it was an LMD, was bad enough, but knowing that Aida, another woman I love, was about to die at any moment just made it worse. And god... Jemma, the real Jemma, she's down there with her, what if she... what if she hurts her, or worse…. No, Coulson wouldn't let that happen. I truly hope he wouldn't. Suddenly, I hear Jemma over the comm thankfully telling me that she's alright, and I can't feel the relief washing over me upon hearing this. Unfortunately, I then hear her inform me that Coulson had already transformed into the Rider, and teleported away with Aida, and my heart just suddenly drops into the pit of my stomach. A few seconds later, I see Jemma running towards me, and I immediately move in to hug her. We embrace for a few moments, but our reunion is cut short when we suddenly we hear a scream and an orange glow coming from down the hall. My heart nearly stops, and I'm afraid to even look, knowing what's likely going on around the corner, but I force myself to move towards the source of the light and screams. Rounding the bend, I find my worst nightmare unfolding right in front of me. Aida, wrapped inside the burning chain of the Ghost Rider, trying to escape. Oh god, no, please, please, no. It's actually happening. Why did it have to come to this. I had hoped I could reason with her. Hoped I could change her mind. And now, there's nothing I can do about it anymore. Aida... Ophelia, my love, is about to die in front of me, the person who swore to protect her. I feel a wave of shame, fear, and then horror wash over me, as the Ghost Rider suddenly grabs her and begins to burn her, making Ophelia scream in agony. I can't look, but my eyes feel glued to the scene in front of me, as I watch Ophelia slowly be burned. Everytime she screams, it feels like a part of me dies, and I can already feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. And sorrowfully, with pleading eyes, she turns to me as she is being torturously consumed by the hellfire, almost begging me to stop the suffering, her pain-filled eyes eventually vanishing underneath the flames. I slowly realize that she has now already passed away, the fire now turning her once beautiful body into a charred skeleton.

I just stare in shock over what just happened, tears streaming down my face. I feel so empty inside, like someone just tore my heart right out from my chest. Then, satisfied with his sick vengeance, the demon picks her body up over his head, and throws her away, like she's just some piece of garbage. But, I also know that it's no different to how she treated her own victims in the past. A horrifying form of twisted poetic justice, I suppose. Staring at her corpse with a sick, satisfied, demonic grin, the Ghost Rider finally exits Coulson's body and lets him change back to normal, leaving him with a horrified expression at what he had just done. Taking this as a chance to approach her body, I slowly walk over to her, but stop a few feet short, unable to get any closer. Sobbing quietly to myself, I quietly say sorry to her, like I've said to her many times before. Sorry for helping bringing her into this world, sorry for never giving her a choice, sorry for treating her like an emotionless computer, and for ending her short life, before she even really had a chance to experience it. I'm sorry Aida. I'm sorry... _Ophelia_ , sorry for everything I had ever done to you.

And so, here, in front of her broken, charred body, I apologize to her for the final time...


End file.
